Happy Outside ... Struggling Inside: Daily Preoccupation

Living Free

Living Free Every Day®

Today's Scripture"God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, No matter how desperate the trouble." Nahum 1:7 MSG

Thoughts for TodayBecoming entrapped by life-controlling issues is generally a four-stage progression through experimentation, social use, daily preoccupation and finally using the substance or practicing the behavior just to feel normal.

When we move from the social use or practice stage into daily preoccupation, we start to lose control and break the self-imposed rules we set during stage 2. The behavior or substance becomes the center of our lives. We look to it for comfort and relief. We begin to feel the pain of addiction, and our life enters a downward spiral of deterioration. Our delusion grows deeper until we no longer recognize the truth.

Consider this Does this sound like a hopeless situation?

Perhaps you have reached this stage of a problem in your life. Or maybe you have a loved one who is trapped by a life-controlling problem. Finding the way out of this despair might seem impossible. And alone, it probably is. But you are not alone. And your loved one is not alone. Jesus is with you and he loves you unconditionallya love so great that we can't even comprehend it.

Will you turn to him today? Receive his love, his forgiveness and his guidance. He won't let you down.

PrayerFather, thank you for your promise to help me in tough times. I realize now that my situation is hopeless without you. Please forgive me and help me. In Jesus' name

These thoughts were drawn from

Living Free by Jimmy Ray Lee, D. Min. and Dan Strickland, M. Div. This updated version is presented in two parts. It offers information for anyone who either has a life-controlling problem or has a loved one with a life-controlling problem:

Part 1: Learning to Live Free

Defining Life-Controlling Problems

Mastered and Trapped by Issues

Walls of Protection

Family Influences

Helping or Harming?

Part 2: Helping Others to Live Free through Small Groups

The Small Group Strategy

Effective Facilitation and Communication

Launching a Living Free Ministry

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Today's Living Free News

Living Free Outcomes Results

Please click below for Living Free Outcomes Research:

The data confirms the effectiveness of Living Free because of what God is doing through His Word, His Spirit and His people. The data reflects that no matter the location or facilitator, lives are being transformed and families restored by God through many local Living Free and Living Free Community ministries. We give God all the glory!

Lead Pastor of Megachurch Endorses Living Free

Click here to listen in on Lead Pastor John Lindell of James River Assembly in Ozark, Missouri sharing the reason why the Living Free discipleship program works.

To hear the full message, go to www.jamesriver.org and click on the "Messages and Resources" menu and find the message titled "Faith and Freedom."

Testimony from Rwanda

God does heal the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). Read the following testimony we received today regarding today's Living Free Every Day devotion provided by Living Free ministries.

"Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thank you so much for the message of forgiveness. Jesus Christ recommend us to forgive if we want to be forgiven. For us Rwandans, we are experiencing forgiveness and now we are free from the bondage of unforgiveness. When you forgive, even physically, you are released. I am telling you this because I have forgiven those who killed my parents and relatives. But, ask to be led by the Holy Spirit who will enable you to forgive those who sin against you."

Blessings,

Jean de Dieu

Rwanda- Central Africa

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May 2013 Message from Living Free President

Please read an important message from Dan Strickland, President of Living Free by clicking here.

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